One hundred thousand free tickets to jumpstart Thailand’s tourism industry

In co-operation with the Tourism Authority of Thailand, AirAsia’s promotion includes flights to Bangkok from Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and China.

In attempt to rescue a tourist season on the ropes and with the agreement of Thai authorities, tickets can be purchased online at AirAsia's website over the next three days beginning Wednesday for travel between 6 January and 31 March.

According to Thai business associations, protests cost the country 137 billion baths or US$ 3.9 billion in direct losses.

Tourism was among the hardest hit sectors, especially since demonstrations came a time when its outlook is generally the brightest.

Commonly seen as Thailand's economic life raft, tourism accounts for 600 billion baths per year (US$ 17.3 billion), or 6 per cent of GDP. This year however its numbers should be cut drastically.

Unemployment, which is hovering around 1.8 per cent, should triple over the next 12 months, leaving three million people out of work.

The forced closure of Bangkok’s airports also left a million people without a job according to the National Economic and Social Advisory Council.

A first estimate puts losses for the capital’s airports at five to seven billion baht per day (just over US$ 140 million), dragging the country’s economy into recession.